Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 127: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of jobs lost and gained in County Kildare in the past seven years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8673/08]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland is no longer a low cost economy and manufacturers in particular are facing increased competition from producers in lower cost economies. The model of manufacturing in developed countries is changing and Irish enterprises are adapting to those changes and engaging in higher value added activities in order to compete in the global marketplace. This has been achieved as a result of increased productivity, technology levels and the sophisticated skills of Irish employees. Competition for foreign direct investment (FDI) is also relentless but Ireland continues to punch above its weight when it comes to attracting overseas investment. While costs are higher, we have responded by positioning ourselves as a location for more advanced activities, with more qualified and better paying jobs.

The following tables set out the number of full time job gains and losses in enterprise agency assisted firms in Co. Kildare for each of the years between 2001 and 2007. Overall in the period in question 6433 new full-time jobs were created while job losses amounted to 6313. Additionally, in 2007 Kildare County Enterprise Board assisted in the creation of 147 net jobs in the county. From 2001 to 2007 the Board has assisted in the creation of 386 jobs throughout the County.

The enterprise development agencies are committed to promoting Kildare as a location for investment as part of an integrated East Region, with access to a population base of 1.5 million people, as well as supporting and developing businesses already present in the county.

Kildare has in recent years attracted some world class manufacturing companies such as Intel, Braun Oral-B and Hewlett Packard. These companies continue to invest in the area, as evidenced by Hewlett-Packard Financial Services proposed expansion of their EMEA headquarters in Leixlip and Intel's plans to establish the Technology Research for Independent Living (TRIL) Centre in Ireland. Approximately $30 million will be invested in the TRIL Centre over a period of three years and Intel will collaborate with several leading Irish universities, including UCD, TCD and NUI Galway to create one of the largest research efforts of this type in the world. IDA Ireland is also working to attract the International Services, Software, Financial Services and Pharmaceuticals sectors.

Enterprise Ireland activity is focused on the creation of new jobs through supporting entrepreneurs in manufacturing and internationally traded services companies who are setting up new High Potential Start-Up Companies. Since the beginning of 2003, EI has approved over €12m in support to companies in Kildare to help them grow their sales and exports and improve innovation and new product development in order that they can compete on world markets. The consumer foods sector in particular, has shown rapid growth in recent years. Over the last two years we have seen significant investment by Green Isle Foods and Dawn Farm Foods Ltd, both supported by Enterprise Ireland, leading to significant employment increases in both of these state of the art facilities.